Porcelain Angel
by bosombodice
Summary: Things were way easier when he wasn't here. Ryro
1. Chapter 1

** Disclaimer: **Oh sure, I so own the X-Men. No sarcasm to be found here

**Say what**

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It starts off with learning that _he's _back. Found out from one particularly awkward run in with Bobby in the hallway one evening. And though he had, and still is, far from being one of her favorite people in the mansion, for reasons not only obvious but make her insides ache, the very un-Bobby like frown etched into his features that day had made her stop despite herself, and curiously ask, just whatever it was that had the mighty Bobby Drake, mutant highs star pupil looking as if he had just witnessed his childhood dog get backed over with a truck? After realizing she sounded far more civil than she would have liked, Rogue added shamelessly, "Kitty didn't dump you did she?" 

His jaw noticeably tightened a bit at her little remark once he had gotten over the shock that she was purposely engaging him in conversation. Something, Rogue had promised mere days ago would never happen again if she had anything to do with.

"Look Rogue," He started, but never quite finished once looking fully into her eyes. She supposed he had read all too well the "If you dare say your sorry again, lack of powers or not, I will personally kick your ass all over this hallway Drake." He coughed awkwardly, shifting his gaze briefly to the floorboards before willing himself to look at her again. "Its nothing really," Bobby said after awhile. Voice nauseatingly laced in the up most of forced pleasantness "Nothing important anyway."

She opened her mouth, ready to press him on it, make him tell her what's so clearly eating away at him like a parasite, but ultimately catches herself. Rogue bit her lip thoughtfully, that would make her seem eager she mused. And the last thing she wanted was to give him the impression she actually cared about anything going on with him, cause she soo didn't. Besides fulfilling her rightful role as jaded ex-girlfriend with an occasional biting remark towards Bobby, and on bitchy'er moments a shot or two at Kitty, Rogue was proud to say as of late she had avoided any confrontation with the two. A far cry from earlier actions. Rogue liked to think she was finally on that resting phase that usually came in the aftermaths of a sunken relationship. Where, after much raging, and voodoo doll sessions alone in your room, one finally enters that serene state of mind where moping pathetically about in zombie mode over your old boyfriend starts to get a little clich'e, and you go on with your life or whatever. That's what she grudgingly repeated in her head like a mantra anyway. Yup, she couldn't care less if she tried. Totally with the non caring-ness. So beyond not interested it was funny. Ha frikin ha. But damn it, Rogue spared a quick glance in Bobby direction, she had always been curious by nature, that's what got her in this mess in the first place, and his evasiveness wasn't helping counteract that in the least.

Rogue folded her arms over her chest in what she hoped reflected a rather bored uncaring manner. Totally in her center. Cool. "Nothing huh? It seems like something pretty extreme from over here."

"Well its not," He said, and the foreign edge she heard in his voice made her raise an eyebrow.

Bobby moved as if to walk past her, end yet another awkward confrontation with his ex, too bad said ex couldn't give a rats ass whether he was uncomfortable or not and effectively cut him off.

"You wouldn't get this worked up over _nothing _Bobby," She said hotly. Thinking she had a pretty good idea what…or more so whom, was getting so under his skin. And that only served to bring on the uncharacteristic boldness that was currently driving her on auto pilot.

Possible eagerness be damned. "Bet this nothings real big in the importance to you."

His eyes met hers, a great change of pace from earlier, and any cool composure Rogue had managed to work up when entering this conversation abruptly evaporated at the look on Bobby Drakes face.

"Important?"

My god was he sneering?

He's a worthless piece of shit," He spat, not quite yelling but the venom in his tone greatly making up for it, and Rogue from the sheer surprise of it all flinched back as if he had struck her.

She stared wordlessly at him as he breathed heavily. The sound of him taking deep gulps of air filling her ear drums yet barely registering in her bustling head.

Bobby didn't act like this she thought numbly. He just didn't. Simple as that. Hell, she should know better than anybody that he didn't. Couldn't even. If she had had any such doubts previous to the happy go lucky days of when they were a "_we" _ instead of -well, not, that he was capable of such an intense reaction to….well anything, the days after their break up had only proved to confirm it. Rogue could remember all too well the countless times she had tried to provoke such a reaction from him. Practically goaded him time and time again to break from that boy next door exterior he permanently wore like a second skin, and give her a side of him that she could hate and despise properly like she so desperately needed to.

But no. Bobby, no matter how she resented and cried herself to sleep over him was just that. Bobby. And Bobby, when she had practically verbally abused him along with his dearest Kitty at every corner, of every hour for weeks on end, had only responded to her admittedly petty attempts with this pitying look as he took everything she threw at him. Only when her voice had gone hoarse from yelling so much and so long would he then walk away. Leaving her that much more bitter, and ultimately unsatisfied.

Rogue mentally shook her head. Going down that train of thought was bad. The last thing she needed was yet another emotional break down in front of Bobby. She frowned at a brief _flash_ of memory that involved crying hysterically in the games room while throwing shredded pictures she'd once held sacred at a bewildered Bobby.

Oh, and of course what might as well have been half the mansion had conveniently all been there to witness the incident.

She shook off the memory with a small cringe and turned her attention back to Bobby.

Looking at him now, disgusted with himself for slipping so far from his norm, Rogue find herself on that same jagged road of confusion as before.

_Why _ had he exploded like. _Who_ had made him explode like that. And the question that high jacked her thought process far more than she would have liked to admit, why couldn't she ever get him to react like that?

None of this made any sense. Hence the spiraling question marks floating around her head.

Sure he evaded like hell when confronted with something he didn't want to talk about. That much was natural. That was typical Bobby. Avoiding saying or doing anything that could more than likely lead to conflict. But this…..She shook her head. He only got like this when- wait a second, did he say _he_? As in-

"John," She said simply, in a tone that didn't even remotely capture what she was feeling.

**A/N: -gasp- **Holy cliff hangers. Feedback would be nice :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer- **Unless action figures count, I own nothing.

**Chapter 2**

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The name felt weird spoken against her lips. Almost unnaturally so. Lingering in her mouth, far longer than it had any right too once rolling off her tongue, and past parted lips that were doing a bang up job of pulling off a look of complete and utter shell shock.

It seriously irked her that saying _his _name again could have such a weird effect on her. Not so much that they _had _affected her. With their history? That much was a given too unfortunately. Just one of those things completely out of her control that she had long grown to tolerate, yet never once for a second ever accepting. No, it had more to do with the fact that it hadn't brought up her usual arsenal of disgust and contempt stowed neatly away behind thick layers of hurt and betrayal for him and him alone, but instead, dug up something she could only justify as a direct result of not using _that _particular name in so long. Cause any other possible explanation she could work out for it just straight up made her skin crawl.

Bobby still hadn't spoken a word. Or looked at her for that matter. Just kept on ogling those floor boards almost as if silently willing them to open up and swallow him whole, and Rogue _really_ wasn't quite sure how to take that.

Apart of her was beyond grateful for the silence. With all of those waves of emotions threatening to smack into her from all sides, she wasn't exactly confident in her vocal skills as of yet. No telling what psycho babble could potentially come out. Then there was the that much more weaker side of her that Rogue usually wasn't too keen on letting out around Bobby, and was perfectly content on keeping her locked under pad, lock, and key behind strong mental doors whenever in Bobby's presence, that was just _begging_ to hear him say something. Anything so not to leave her alone with the various trains of thoughts swarming and crashing about into one another around in her head like bees. Loud, _annoyingly _bright buzzing bees that just simply refused to be ignored, and would gleefully prick at her insides if she dare drift her attention from them for a second.

Rogue couldn't help a small, very inappropriate snort at that. I mean gee, what does _that_ remind you of?

In the end, after an intense battle royal of wills and alter egos, when the dust cleared and the buzzing came to an abrupt standstill, Marie, though granted, rather wobbly legged scrappy looking, stood victorious and smug faced over a very KO'd Rogue. An ending Rogue was very familiar with as of late.

"When," She asked.

Bobby sighed, running a hand through his hair before shifting up his gaze. "A few hours ago,"

She nodded mutely. Rocking back on her heels as she took a few seconds to process everything. "So did he just show up at the door, making with the sorry's and remorse, or what?"

Cause if so, she was calling bull shit.

It was Bobby's turn to snort lightly. "Yeah right," he muttered before taking a quick glace at his watch. "No we…well the X-Men. We found him at some bar not too far off from here. Al's Place I think."

Rogue leaned in. "How exactly did you know he'd be there?"

"It was luck really," He admitted softly. "Someone not completely intoxicated over there must have recognized him from a wanted poster or something and called it in I guess. Just whoever that someone was didn't bother to leave a name. Storm didn't give us much details on it really. Just that some guy- at this point were not even really sure that it _was_ a guy, called and kept going on about one of the members of the Brotherhood holding everyone hostage right before hanging up. Even Hank in all his brains and high tech knowledge was just barely able to trace it."

"So you guys have no idea who made the call?"

"As far as we know, it just as well could have been Al himself. All we really have to go on is whoever called used a pay phone."

He must have noticed her quizzical look cause he added quickly, "Finding the source wasn't exactly our main priority at the moment."

She nodded. "Yeah, I can see how Py-

Bobby sucked in a breath and she immediately clamped her mouth shut.

Oh right. She'd almost forgotten the rules of this…truce? Temporary cease of fire? Whatever name it went by, its terms and conditions were easy enough to follow.

Avoid at all cost using _that _name and _this _conversation wont end in bloodshed.

Right. Got it. She could play. If only to figure out just what the hell was going on here and what a certain pyromaniac had to do with it.

Though admittedly, she liked that she had gotten to him there, even if for just a few seconds. Hell, more than just _liked _itShe was practically rolling in the waves of the unnatural high she was currently riding on, and had zero doubt that she was sporting some semi-crazed like grin as of now, (it certainly would explain that _look _on Bobby's face) but could hardly find it in herself to care _too_ much about it. Weeks of wanting just this and the universe had finally thrown her a bone.

Well it was about damn time

She licked her bottom lip. Tasting something sweet and indefinable there that had her craving for more.

Bobby coughed awkwardly, throwing her out of her almost giddy haze.

"So we showed up. Loaded him into the X-Van, and that's pretty much it."

She was miffed to say the least when she found all traces of his past uneasiness gone as he shrugged lightheartedly, and the action seemed completely misplaced and wrong given the present vibe of things.

Rogue tapped her foot, waiting for him to continue Patiently even. Her brows eventually knotting in confusion when he checked his watched for what felt like the 100th time, and it became clear that he wasn't planning on doing so anytime soon.

Or ever.

He wasn't _actually _serious with leaving it there was he? Cause he couldn't be right? Rogue blinked a couple of times in amazement. Ugh, that's it? A beat passed.

"What do you mean _that'_s it?"

Brushing dirt under the proverbial carpet much?

He almost made it sound as if it were done. Like he could just throw a bomb shell at her of this magnitude that affected both of them then say that they were through here just like that. Yeah well, if Bobby truly believed for a second that this one was gonna fly, well he seriously must be more demented than Rogue originally gave him credit for.

She put her hands over her hips and took a defiant step forward.

She was just about done with _playing_.

"So, what? You guys just show up to some sleazed down bar, leather and all, and _Pyro- _

Oh you remember Pyro right? That same dude who practically lit your house up like a Christmas tree mere months ago Pyro?

-just happily strapped himself into your X coated van (which when she really thought about it, couldn't have been all that discreet ) while you all merrily rolled out?"

_Please_.

She had enough encounters with that little prick to know that nothing was ever that easy, or simple for that manner whenever _he_ was directly involved in it.

Just no way.

So if Bobby somehow felt the need to spare her the gory details of his latest face off with Pyro with some cheap straight to DVD PG-13 version, well he could just save it.

She may not still-

Rogue took a deep breath. Feeling as if she were swallowing shards of glass all of a sudden, making her bleed from the inside.

She may not still be a mutant anymore.

Sure. Whatever. Moving along.

That little fact had been throw in her face in letters big, bold, and neon like ever since she stepped out of that clinic. Meeting fresh air, blue skies, and an angry mobs worth of protesting, anti-cure mutants who had no problem in telling her just how weak and pathetic they though she was.

Disgusting even

It was all Rogue could do not to cry hysterically on a street corner.

When she finally made it home (and looking back now, calling it as such brought on an almost bitter smile to her lips from the sick humor alone) she had almost fooled herself into believing for a few minutes there that everything would actually be ok. All she needed was one look from Bobby and everything would be ok.

Well now Rogue knew just how stupid and moronic she had been then, and a hardly restrained sneer twisted at her lips.

She wasn't _weak_. Not anymore anyway.

She was far from that same Southern belle from Mississippi who occasionally played the damsel in distress role whenever the ante was upped.

Far from

Her mind drifted off to a distant place where the temperature was unbearably hot. Scorching. Sweat pouring off the sides of her face and skin in buckets as she gingerly slid off one glove clad hand and wrapped it firmly around a boys ankle.

She threw strength from that.

Bobby did that awkward little cough of his he seemed so fond of, and Rogue couldn't help think how lucky he was. Cause if he had dared check that damned watch one more time, she would have force fed it down his throat.

"Honestly Rogue. I would hardly call it a "merry joy ride," He made small air quotes, but all in all there's nothing much to it."

She sent him a disbelieving look and he sighed.

"Alcohol played a small part in it….."

Blink "Excuse me?"

She watched intently as his posture noticeable stiffened and that aura of uneasiness returned.

"Well what I mean is, by the time we got there that is, he-

His eyes shut briefly as if in a small prayer and Rogue found herself leaning into him again in interest.

"Pyro," He gritted out through clenched teeth after a long moment. And the name sounded almost like a curse out his lips but to Bobby she supposed it might as well have been one.

"He was already wasted out of his mind by the time we got there." Bobby continued, though grudgingly. "Bastard had the nerve to continue finishing up one of his shots even while Storm and Beast were handcuffing him."

Before Rogue could say anything, possibly even full on laugh in Bobby's face and somehow through her laughter tell him jokingly how the image of the _big_, _bad,_ Pyro off tipsy in some run down bar somewhere had you on the verge of passing out, he checked his watch and sent her an almost apologetic look. Just what he was felling sorry for she had no clue.

"Sorry Rogue. I promised Storm Id meet her for some late night training sessions in the Danger Room. Run some tests or something. Was sorta supposed to be there like 10 minutes ago."

She stared at him for a few seconds before it actually clicked in her head that it was late. 11:00pm last she'd seen a clock. Now that he mentioned it, she had been on her way back to her room before….

"Yeah, ummmm ok. Bye"

She _really _had to work on that casual thing

Bobby made as if to give her a small wave but he must have realized just as she had that they _weren't_ actually on good terms and that this all was a façade. _This_, whatever _this _was, was only temporary and ended the second he'd told her what she wanted to know.

After pausing, he put his hand down, ultimately settled with a brief nod. A completely safe non leading action before turning to leave.

Rogue would have probably dwelled on what the hell just happened if she hadn't noticed just how painfully close she and Bobby (mostly on her part) had eased into each other and her cheeks turned a dark red hue as she hurried back in the direction of her room.

Just as she was rounding the corner to the room she shared with Jubilee in the girls dormitories, one of those pesky runaway trains of though slammed into her, nearly causing her to loose her balance sprinting across the mansions olive coated carpeting.

_Ugh_

She smacked a hand to her forehead. Restraining herself from ripping tufts of her hair out of her head, and turned back up the hallway.

After running into Bobby, and that mess about Pyro, Rogue had completely forgotten just why she had been out of her room in the first place.

And it had nothing to do with late night rendezvous with her ex.

Water, right. Brain freeze officially over

She eased open the door to the common room with practiced stealth. Footsteps feather light against the wooden floor as she made to cut through the common room and to the kitchen.

"What took you so long?"

She jerked back violently. Grabbing onto a nearby couch for support.

"Just got held up with something. Its nothing."

Ummm, Bobby??

Rogue sank to her knees behind the couch. Whether the action was just a clever lapse in judgment on her part for once or just a reaction from the sheer shock of it all, she wasn't really sure. Her attention was kinda focused on _other _things.

The other voice, which Rogue immediately deduced had to be a girl given the high pitch chuckled lightly.

"It feels like I've been in here for hours. Not very nice to keep a girl waiting Bobby."

Yeah ok, that _definitely _wasn't Storm. Unless…..ew. She immediately squashed that thought.

The dots, regardless of just how big and blatant they actually were refused to connect properly in Rogues head, and she craned her neck from around the sofa to try and help fix that.

The sight she was met with literally had her gasping.

Bobby (her Bobby!) in an intense lip lock with _that_,_ that- _

Her head was far too busy swirling in and out of reality to come up with any half decent remarks for Kitty. The word bitch briefly crossed through her mind but it hardly felt strong enough to describe just how much hate she felt for her in that moment.

Her nails sunk deep into the sofas arm as Bobby pulled Kitty closer. Tangling his hands in her hair, mouths still fused firmly together as they continued on in unknowing bliss of a third party.

After a long, _long _moment of just staring, Rogue willed herself to leave the room. The second she made it out the door, going into a full on sprint down the hall.

Rogue wasn't sure where she was running to. Or where she was going for that matter. Just that she had to do something to distract her from what she had just witnessed in the common room. That was all that really mattered.

Somewhere along the line she had gone down some stairs. After much squinting and looking about, she realized she had somehow ended up in the lower levels of the mansion.

The subbasement.

Before she could fully take in her surroundings, or really even think properly, a voice, of the non Bobby Kitty variety cut through.

"So, planning on telling me a bed time story?"

**A/N: grrrrr, sorry. This chapter would have came out a lot faster if not for a certain impending Chemistry exam. I suck so, study study :( It would help if I actually had a beta or something. So if anyone wants to volunteer... hint. But yeah lol, feed back please :)**


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